AUTUMN 2018
PRODUCTIONS, EVENTS & NEWS
… Another opening of another show … so goes the song! It is indeed another season and another academic year. We look forward to welcoming you to Central for a wide range of productions, showcases, screenings, lectures, and seminars. Here too you will find news of many of our alumni. The summer past was particularly busy with Central’s involvement in more than 100 shows in the Edinburgh Fringe. We are also pleased that the Complete University Guide League Table placed Central top of all the Conservatoires and Specialist Drama Schools and University Departments. I do hope you will find much to enjoy …
PROFESSOR GAVIN HENDERSON CBE, PRINCIPAL
CONTENTS 2
HOW TO FIND US
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BOOKING FOR PUBLIC PRODUCTIONS
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PUBLIC PRODUCTIONS
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FORTHCOMING PUBLIC PRODUCTIONS 2019
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SHOWCASES & SCREENINGS 2019
9 EVENTS 10 RESEARCH@CENTRAL 14 BUSINESS TRAINING ONE-DAY COURSES 16 SHORT COURSES 18 CENTRAL NEWS 26 ALUMNI NEWS 39 SUPPORTING CENTRAL
HOW TO FIND US The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Eton Avenue London NW3 3HY T: +44 (0)20 7722 8183 E: boxoffice@cssd.ac.uk www.cssd.ac.uk Central’s Embassy Theatre and Webber Douglas Studio are located at Eton Avenue. Please note seating is limited in the Webber Douglas Studio. Tube Central is opposite Swiss Cottage station (Jubilee Line, exit 2), or approximately eight minutes walk from Finchley Road station (Metropolitan Line). Rail Finchley Road & Frognal (Overground) is approximately a ten minute walk. Bus The following routes stop nearby: C11, 13, 31, 46, 113, 187, 268. Parking Central is within a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) and parking is extremely limited. There is no parking available at the School. There are two blue badge disabled parking bays directly outside. For more disabled parking see www.bluebadgelondon.org.uk. Alternatively, visitors with disabilities are welcome to call +44 (0)20 7722 8183 prior to their visit as it may be possible to arrange on-site parking.
BOOKING FOR PUBLIC PRODUCTIONS BOX OFFICE T: +44 (0)20 7722 8183 E: boxoffice@cssd.ac.uk www.cssd.ac.uk/events Open on-site: Monday – Friday, 10.00am – 4.30pm Saturday, 12.00pm – 2.30pm Additional opening on performance nights 6.00pm – 7.30pm Tickets: £10/ £5 concessions Complimentary tickets: industry and associated professionals Please collect tickets 15 minutes prior to the start of the performance. Latecomers may not be admitted until there is a suitable break. All public productions listings are correct at the time of going to print. Please refer to Central’s website www.cssd.ac.uk/events for updates.
MAILING LISTS If you would like to be included on Central’s Box Office mailing list, please contact boxoffice@cssd.ac.uk. For industry and associated professionals, please email industry.liaison@cssd.ac.uk.
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama is registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee, with exempt charitable status, in England and Wales under Company No. 203645. Registered office: Eton Avenue, London NW3 3HY, UK. VAT No. GB 135 6002 46.
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PUBLIC PRODUCTIONS
LOST EMPIRES BY J.B. PRIESTLEY | ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY BERT COULES Director Cara Nolan Costume Designer Alison Cartledge Wednesday 14 – Saturday 17 November, 7.30pm Friday 16 – Saturday 17 November, 2.30pm Webber Douglas Studio, Central Thursday 22 November, 2.30pm & 7.30pm Friday 23 November, 11.00am Leicester Haymarket Theatre, 1 Garrick Walk, Leicester LE1 3AF www.haytheatre.com Performed by BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre, working alongside students from the BA (Hons) Theatre Practice In the months before the First World War, Richard Herncastle throws up his safe, dead-end office job in a grim Northern mining town and joins his famous uncle’s illusion act, touring the grand Empire Theatres of England and Scotland. This is the story of Richard’s coming of age in the looming shadow of the terrible conflict which will see millions of young men die and an entire way of life vanish, never to return. J.B. Priestley’s acclaimed novel is presented for the first time as a drama for the stage. By arrangement with United Agents London.
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FLARE PATH BY TERENCE RATTIGAN Director Lindsay Posner Set Designer Liam Bunster Wednesday 21 – Saturday 24 November, 7.30pm Friday 23 – Saturday 24 November, 2.30pm Embassy Theatre, Central Performed by BA (Hons) Acting, working alongside students from the BA (Hons) Theatre Practice Set in a Lincolnshire hotel in the autumn of 1941, Flare Path is a complex tribute to the collective spirit of wartime bomber crews and their partners. Within this framework the story involves a love triangle between a pilot, his actress wife and a famous film star. With his characteristic flair for understatement, Rattigan provides a deeply moving portrait of people at war. By special arrangement with Samuel French Ltd.
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THE AMERICAN CLOCK BY ARTHUR MILLER Director Gretchen Egolf Wednesday 28 November – Saturday 1 December, 7.30pm Friday 30 November – Saturday 1 December, 2.30pm Webber Douglas Studio, Central Performed by BA (Hons) Acting CDT, working alongside students from the BA (Hons) Theatre Practice ‘...I knew we had a long bad time ahead of us. And so, like most people, I waited with that crazy kind of expectation that comes when there is no hope, waited for the dream to come back from wherever it had gone to hide. ... But there's never been a society that hasn't had a clock running on it and you couldn't help wondering - how long? How long would they stand for this?’ The American Clock by Arthur Miller is based, in part, on Studs Terkel's Hard Times: An Oral History Of The Great Depression. By arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd.
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SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION BY JOHN GUARE Director Geoffrey Colman Wednesday 5 – Saturday 8 December, 7.30pm Friday 7 – Saturday 8 December, 2.30pm Webber Douglas Studio, Central Wednesday 19 – Friday 21 December Festival of International Theatre, Institut del Teatre, 08004 Barcelona, Spain www.institutdeltheatre.cat Performed by BA (Hons) Acting, working alongside students from the BA (Hons) Theatre Practice ‘I read somewhere that everybody on this planet is separated by only six other people. Six degrees of separation. It’s a profound thought. How every person is a new door, opening into other worlds.’ Six Degrees Of Separation is a multi-award winning modern American classic that premiered on Broadway in 1990. Inspired by a real-life story, the play is a captivating study of society’s pretensions exposed by one man’s self-confidence and imagination. By arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd.
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FORTHCOMING PUBLIC PRODUCTIONS 2019
DNA
ANATOMY OF A SUICIDE
By Dennis Kelly Performed by BA (Hons) Acting CDT
By Alice Birch Performed by BA (Hons) Acting
Thursday 7 – Thursday 14 February Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Tuesday 12 – Saturday 16 March Webber Douglas Studio, Central
THE TUNNEL THEATRE AND SURVIVAL DURING THE SIEGE OF SARAJEVO (DEVISED)
By arrangement with United Agents London.
THE LIFE
Director Maja Milatovitch-Ovadia Musical Director: Paul Barker Performed by MA Music Theatre
Book by David Newman, Ira Gasman and Cy Colman Lyrics by Ira Gasman Music by Cy Colman Performed by BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre
Tuesday 12 – Thursday 14 February Webber Douglas Studio, Central
Monday 4 – Saturday 9 March Embassy Theatre, Central By arrangement with Tams-Witmark LLC.
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN Stage adaptation by Jack Thorne Based on the Swedish novel and film by John Ajvide Lindqvist Performed by BA (Hons) Acting Monday 11 – Saturday 16 March Webber Douglas Studio, Central By arrangement with Marla Rubin Productions Ltd.
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SHOWCASES & SCREENINGS 2019 For industry and associated professionals only. Enquiries /booking: industry.liaison@cssd.ac.uk.
BA (HONS) ACTING Friday 25 January 1.00pm and 3.00pm
BA (HONS) ACTING CDT Monday 25 March 1.00pm and 3.00pm
BA (HONS) ACTING MUSICAL THEATRE Monday 15 April 1.00pm and 3.00pm
MA ACTING Friday 22 February 1.00pm and 3.00pm
MA MUSIC THEATRE Friday 22 March 1.00pm and 3.00pm Webber Douglas Studio
MA ACTING FOR SCREEN Wednesday 5 June, 7.00pm Wednesday 3, Thursday 4, Friday 5 July, 7.00pm
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EVENTS
NEW WRITING NIGHTS Tuesday 23, Wednesday 24, Thursday 25, Friday 25 October, 7.30pm Central MFA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media students Come along to the annual New Writing Nights showcasing work from students on the MFA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media course. Sit back, relax, and enjoy some never-beforeseen theatre. Booking: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ new-writing-night-autumn-2018tickets-50730743018
PERFORMING RACE PANEL & NETWORKING EVENT Friday 30 November, 6.15pm – 9.00pm Embassy Theatre, Central The Performing Race Panel will bring together artists and sociologists that represent racial counter-narratives in response to the ideas of W.E.B. Du Bois of race as a social construction, to explore the nuanced threads of racial discourse and social interaction to reconceptualise race as social performance. Booking: www.cssd.ac.uk/events Free event
Free event
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RESEARCH@CENTRAL Central supports a dynamic research community promoting an inclusive vision of theatre and performance and their place in 21st century society. Each term we feature a diverse range of events (masterclasses, book launches, lectures and seminars) where academics and practitioners meet to discuss new initiatives in theatre and performance practice and research. Booking: www.cssd.ac.uk/whats-on-inresearch. All events are free.
VIVIEN LEIGH, ACTRESS AND ICON Kate Dorney and Maggie B. Gale Wednesday 31 October, 6.30pm Vivien Leigh: Actress and Icon (MUP 2018) is an edited collection that seeks to offer new readings of the life and career of Vivien Leigh, using a range of archival sources to explore her approach to the craft of acting for stage and screen and how she shaped, developed and projected her public persona as one of the most talked about and photographed actresses of her era. In this talk, the editors, Kate Dorney and Maggie B. Gale, discuss two of the book’s primary aims of drawing critical attention to Leigh’s acting practice and to debate how, why and to what extent an actress’s career was determined by their appearance and their ‘professionalism’ in the 20th century. The book’s purpose was to ‘rewrite’ Vivien Leigh, but also to develop methods for re-reading the life and careers of her female contemporaries and we are interested in conversations about how these strategies might be further developed.
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BOOK LAUNCH: VOICE Jane Boston Wednesday 14 November, 6.00pm A celebration of the launch of Voice, a wideranging volume that explores the technical and physical aspects of voice as a craft, questioning its definitions, its historical presence, training practices and its publications. Drawing on a wealth of experience, Jane Boston presents a selection of readings that demonstrate and contextualise some of the defining moments of voice throughout history. This clear and accessible text examines the relationship between voice and aesthetics and poetics, against the backdrop of class, race and gender politics, demonstrating how vocal training has been, and still is, inevitably connected to such issues. After a decade as a senior voice tutor at RADA, Jane is now a Principal Lecturer at Central, leading the MA/MFA Voice Studies and heading up the International Network in Voice (INV).
THE TREE OF PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE: COLLABORATIVE WRITING AS A DRAMATURGY OF PRACTICE/RESEARCH Adam J. Ledger and Annelis Kuhlmann Wednesday 21 November, 6.30pm This talk investigates questions about methodology and collaboration that arose from our attempts to write about Eugenio Barba’s artistic practice as a theatre director. Embracing Barba’s occasionally paradoxical approaches, the authors’ non-chronological, rhizomatic account unfolds from a central concern with Barba’s production The Tree (2016), which provides a point of connection to the various ‘branches’ of his work since 1964.
Given the metaphorical density of the image of the tree, how can we as dramaturg-scholars simultaneously embrace it as an image through which to write, deconstruct the performance-in-process and treat it as a model for a ‘living archive’ within a multicultural theatre laboratory tradition? What was distinctive about this interaction between artistic methods, a performance, different cultural and academic agendas and constraints and the sheer practicality of two academics writing the same piece? The talk is presented as a dialogue between Adam J. Ledger (University of Birmingham) and Annelis Kuhlmann (Aarhus University, Denmark; currently a visiting researcher at the University of Kent, Canterbury), who reflect on their digression into trees in order to write in a radically spatial way.
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HAMLET ENCOUNTERS: RESEARCH EVENT Eric Joris, Artistic Director of CREW and Professor Robin Nelson Monday 3 December, 6.30pm Hamlet Encounters is the working title of CREW’s engagement with Shakespeare’s Hamlet which will emerge as a full theatre event in 2019 with work in progress currently taking the form of a VR installation. An experimental arts company based in Brussels, CREW ‘aims to visualise how technology is changing us.’ At this event, Robin Nelson and Eric Joris will introduce the Hamlet Encounters project and share aspects of the process of its making. The presentation will open up a discussion of the opportunities and challenges of addressing Shakespeare with new media technologies, and the parallels between the turbulence of
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transition from the 16th into the 17th centuries and from the 20th into the 21st. Eric Joris, founder of CREW, is a transdisciplinary artist and researcher who has pioneered immersive VR performances since the late 90s. Robin Nelson is a Professorial Fellow at Central, having been Director of Research (2010-14) and his involvement in the Hamlet Encounters project has been as an associate dramaturg with a practitioner-researcher background in both Shakespeare and contemporary (intermedial) theatre production.
LEVERHULME LECTURE SERIES Professor Anne Bogart December 2018 Central is very pleased to welcome the distinguished theatre director and writer, Professor Anne Bogart (Columbia University), who will be visiting Central over the next two years as part of a Leverhulme Trust funded Visiting Professorship. Anne will be giving her first Leverhulme Lecture (one of four) in December 2018. For further information see www.cssd.ac.uk/ whats-on-in-research.
Professor Anne Bogart
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BUSINESS TRAINING ONE-DAY COURSES Drawing on our accredited training in Acting, Voice and Performance Practice, Central has created a range of practical one-day courses delivered in a safe, creative environment. Delivered by a qualified trainer, these courses are limited to 10 participants to ensure maximum impact and individual feedback. All courses take place at Cervantes Theatre, 229 Union St, London SE1 0LR and the fee for each course is £450.
THE CONFIDENT COMMUNICATOR
PRESENTING WITH CONFIDENCE
Tuesday 30 October, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Tuesday 6 November, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Using performance techniques to examine status and influence, explore how you can flex your approach to achieve desired outcomes. Active listening, solution driven negotiation and delivering difficult messages will be explored through practical work, as well as using creative approaches to ensure you deliver your message authentically and effectively. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to practice the skills you have learnt in scenario-based training and receive individual feedback.
Explore how to incorporate voice, performance practice and actor training techniques into presentations.
Booking: www.cssd.ac.uk/course/confidentcommunicator
This course can give you the tools to stay calm and engaged when the spotlight is on you, and ensure your message resonates with your audience. We will use exercises drawn from actor training focusing on body, breath and voice to enable you to calm your nerves and own your space. We will explore dramatic devices to bring your content to life, and consider how to frame your message and get it heard. The day’s work will culminate with individual workshopping and tailored feedback. Booking: www.cssd.ac.uk/course/ presenting-confidence
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THE CREATIVE FACILITATOR Tuesday 13 November, 10.00am – 5.00pm Develop a toolkit of innovative techniques to lead facilitation and deliver training sessions with creativity and impact. Participants will learn dramatic approaches to ensemble work, creative teaching and group facilitation. These will include exercises on how to energise and focus a group, how to use drama to bring challenging content to life, and how to encourage and inspire creativity in others. There will be plenty of hands-on experience as the group participates in and practices leading exercises for themselves, receiving individual attention and feedback on their work.
BE HEARD: THE CREATIVE VOICE Tuesday 27 November, 10.00am – 5.00pm On this course we take our time to explore the production of voice, from body language and posture to breathing techniques, to building resonance and gravitas in your tone. Practical exercises will give a greater understanding of articulation, clarity, pitch, pause and pace. After work on using the voice to bring text to life, each participant will receive tailored feedback and tips to ensure vocal improvement. Booking: www.cssd.ac.uk/course/creativevoice
Booking: www.cssd.ac.uk/course/creativefacilitator
INTERVIEWING WITH IMPACT Thursday 22 November, 10.00am – 5.00pm Discover how to prepare effectively for all types of interviews and develop techniques to help manage interview nerves. Using techniques drawn from actor training, this one-day course is created for the interviewee. Explore how to create presence and self-confidence, as well as identifying techniques for managing nerves before and during an interview. We will consider effective ways to structure clear, succinct answers that show your skills and abilities, making you the hero of your own story. The full-day workshop will culminate in individual interview practice. Booking: www.cssd.ac.uk/course/ interviewing-impact
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SHORT COURSES Focusing on key techniques and skills used by actors, these courses are in small groups so that tutors are able to nurture and develop creativity. Classes are open access and mixed ability and take place at Central.
EVENING COURSES
SATURDAY YOUTH THEATRE
Mondays & Wednesdays, 7.00pm – 9.30pm, these courses run on a termly basis Fee: £525 per term
Saturdays 11.00am – 1.00pm Fee: £265 per term
Minimum age for entry is 18+
To apply: www.cssd.ac.uk/course/saturdayyouth-theatre-6-17-year-olds
To apply: www.cssd.ac.uk/course/eveningcourses Central offers a variety of evening courses including: n
Acting – An Introduction
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Shakespeare
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Acting – For Camera
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Audition Techniques
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Text 1
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Text 2
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Voice for Performance
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Directing – An Introduction.
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Age: 6-17 (students are grouped by age)
Saturday Youth Theatre offers drama classes that are challenging, educational and enjoyable. You do not need any previous experience to take part, just enthusiasm and commitment. Classes explore a range of drama and acting techniques and different theatrical forms, including improvisation, voice, movement, devising and working with text, culminating in sharing a themed work to family, friends and carers. Recent themes have included Shakespeare, plays from the Royal Court Theatre and celebrating difference.
DIPLOMAS
MUSICAL THEATRE
Central offers part-time, non-accredited, practical diplomas for those wishing to undertake an introduction to acting or performance training. Entry is by audition. For more information see www.cssd.ac.uk/ diplomas.
January – August Fee: £3,500, bursaries are available The Musical Theatre Diploma develops skills as performers with specific classes in singing, dance, acting fundamentals, voice and movement. Students have the opportunity to perform in one of Central’s fully-equipped theatres.
GAP YEAR September – August on Saturdays, with two x one week intensives Fee: £2,700, bursaries are available The Gap Year Diploma is designed for those taking a year out from formal education who are interested in preparing to apply for an acting course at higher education level. The course develops acting skills, career skills and audition techniques with the opportunity to perform extracts from plays in a studio-based production.
ACTING January – August Fee: £3,500, bursaries are available The Acting Diploma develops skills as an actor and is designed to be a springboard for those wishing to explore the potential of full-time actor or performance training. There are specific classes in text analysis, voice, movement, devising and character development and the opportunity to perform in one of Central’s fully-equipped theatres.
SUMMER SHORT COURSES Focusing on key techniques and skills used by actors, these courses take place in July and August from 10.00am – 4.30pm and vary from two days to three weeks. All courses, with the exception of Preparing for Higher Education, Actors Audition Pieces and Youth Theatre are for those aged over 18 years. To apply: short.courses@cssd.ac.uk. Currently courses offered include: Acting for Beginners Acting for Camera for Beginners n Acting with Text n Actors’ Audition Pieces (aged 17+) n Directed Scenes n Clear Spoken English: an Introduction n Musical Theatre n Preparing for Higher Education: Studying Drama (aged 15+) n Stage Combat n Summer Theatre Company n Summer Shakespeare n Voice Fundamentals n Youth Theatre for Actors (age 6-17 years). n n
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CENTRAL NEWS A selection of highlights from the past few months. For further news see www.cssd.ac.uk/news-from-central.
NEW NORTH BLOCK OPENING 2019 JO BRAND LEADS TOPPING OUT CEREMONY FOR CENTRAL’S NEW NORTH BLOCK BUILDING On 7 June comedian Jo Brand led festivities at the Topping Out Ceremony for Central’s new North Block Development. The topping out served as an opportunity to recognise the achievements of the design team and the contractors, as well as providing a moment to celebrate as the building project nears its completion. The North Block building, which received planning permission from Camden Council in March 2015, will extend teaching, rehearsal and performance spaces, and will include studios with a focus on training for film/media and a new public courtyard theatre. The development will provide access to cutting-edge arts facilities for students and the local community, and further enhance the School’s reputation as a North London cultural hub. Long-established as one of the UK’s best female comics, Jo Brand is the star and writer of Getting On, the BBC’s BAFTA award-winning series set in a hospital geriatric ward, which was partly inspired by her earlier career in nursing. Jo’s other television credits include Jo Brand’s Hot Potatoes (BBC1) and the award-winning Through The Cakehole (Channel 4). Jo is multi-talented to say the least – from taking the part of the Sergeant of Police in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates Of Penzance at London’s Gielgud Theatre, facing the formidable Alan Sugar for Comic Relief Does The Apprentice and learning to play the organ for a sell-out audience at The Royal Albert Hall. She has also written several
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Jo Brand and Professor Gavin Henderson at the Topping Out Ceremony for the new North Block building.
highly-acclaimed best-selling books including Can’t Stand Up For Sitting Down, Look Back In Hunger and The More You Ignore Me. She became an Honorary Fellow of Central in 2008. Of the ceremony Jo Brand said: ‘I looked forward very much to being a part of the Topping Out Ceremony, something I’ve never done before and it was exciting to celebrate a new block with so many brilliant facilities… and in keeping with the position of Central at the top of the league table for drama schools in the UK. I thought they said Topping Out… let’s hope it’s not toppling out!’
Central’s Saturday Youth Theatre students painting the North Block hoardings.
Central’s Principal, Professor Gavin Henderson said: ‘This new development will keep Central at the forefront in facilities for training and research in the Dramatic Arts in Europe. We are not increasing student numbers; this will be a further enhancement of what is already acknowledged to be a world-class conservatoire.’ Rob Joyce, London Office Director of the project’s official contractors GRAHAM Construction, said: ‘With its state-of-the-art facilities, the North Block will reinforce Central’s reputation as one of the world’s leading drama institutions. We’re proud to be working alongside such a talented project team and, by drawing on our educational experience, we will ensure that this important building is delivered to the highest quality for students, staff and the local community.’ Architect Tim Ronalds, whose firm is responsible for the design of the North Block, said:
‘The site for the new building previously housed a single storey studio. It now has five double-height studios, wrapped with nine floors of smaller teaching and support spaces. The exterior of the building is in white stucco, its scale and detail in keeping with the neighbouring conservation area. It is a tremendous project which will benefit Central enormously.’
NORTH BLOCK HOARDINGS ARE RUNNERS-UP IN THE 2018 IVOR GOODSITE HOARDINGS COMPETITION Augmented Reality (AR) software at Central has been presented publicly as a community engagement project on the new North Block building development. The completed project has been recognised for its excellence in a national competition.
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Central’s Dr Nicky Abraham was instrumental in conceiving and setting up the project, which aims to reveal the many engaging student and staff stories and diverse range of projects undertaken at the School.
LONDON ARTS AND HUMANITIES PARTNERSHIP AWARDED AHRC FUNDING
Initially, Central alumni from as far back as 1967 attended storytelling workshops alongside current students to share stories, memories and tales from their experiences at the School. Third year students Kirsty Doig, Robbie Moore and Kim Turford helped to facilitate the sessions, as well as contributing their own videos to the wall.
The Arts and Humanities Research Council has awarded funding for doctoral training studentships to the London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP), which includes Central alongside seven other higher education institutions and will be led by University College London.
The initial sketch and painting of the core design began in April with work undertaken by BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Education 1st and 2nd year students Amy Kemp, Teodora Dontu and Amy Whitestone.
Included in the partnership are King’s College London, London School of Economics and Political Science, Queen Mary University of London, Royal College of Art, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Royal College of Music, School of Advanced Study (University of London) and University College London which will act as the lead institution.
Central's Youth Theatre students aged from 6 – 13 years old completed the final stage of painting, adding snakes, leaves, flowers, butterflies and flames to the image on the wall. Dr Nicky Abraham said: ‘I wanted to bring the heart of the building to the outside community. This project was, and is still, about capturing the huge variation of skills and knowledge demonstrated by students, alumni and staff and sharing snapshots with the community.’ The completed design was entered by Central’s contractors, GRAHAM Construction, into the annual Ivor Goodsite Hoardings Competitions. The School is delighted to announce that the team are runners-up! Congratulations to all staff, students and alumni who made the project a success. See also page 39 SUPPORTING CENTRAL.
Together, they will fund and train postgraduate students over five annual cohorts from October 2019. The partnership will also deliver a training environment open to over 2,300 postgraduate research students from across the partnership. Professor Maria Delgado, Director of Research at Central, said: ‘We are delighted to form part of this expanded consortia bringing our specialist experience in theatre and performance to the wide group of arts and humanities disciplines represented within LAHP. It’s excellent news for Central, and for our current and future research degrees students.’ Dr Tony Fisher, Reader in Theatre and Philosophy and Associate Director of Research (Research Degrees) at Central, said: ‘Joining LAHP opens up fantastic opportunities for the PhD programme at Central. Not only does it offer AHRC funded studentships under the scheme, it also provides unique possibilities for interdisciplinary collaborations with colleagues across the wider consortium, as well as training that will benefit all of Central’s PhD students. This is a great endorsement of Central’s PhD programme and its wider research
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culture; a testament to the brilliant work of colleagues; and the start of an exciting new chapter in the development of our research degrees programme.’ The LAHP’s key values and strategy have been developed in extensive consultation with six cultural partners. Collaboration with the Museum of London, the Metropolitan Police, and The National Archives will offer students the opportunity to engage with diverse London communities, while the V&A, Google and the Wellcome Trust will bring expertise to the design, digital and environmental strand of the LAHP training programme. The partnership aims to deliver broad crossdisciplinary experience and training to students. LAHP students will be uniquely equipped to apply their knowledge across a range of environments, from the cultural and creative industries, to public service, civic engagement and government, legal, business and commercial enterprise. Through working closely with its cultural partners and drawing inspiration from the vibrant capital city of London, students will be supported to become civically-minded, globally-
aware, socially-engaged, impactful and ethicallyinformed scholars. LAHP’s vision recognises the changing culture of PhD education and ultimately aims to transform employers’ perceptions of what a PhD can deliver. The doctoral training partnership will therefore support students to become experts in their chosen fields, while also developing a wide range of employability skills, suited to an increasingly digital and globalised world.
DR DANI PLOEGER AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS VRHAMMY AWARD Congratulations to Central’s Dr Dani Ploeger who received the Vrhammy Award 2018 for Virtual Reality Art for his installation The Grass Smells So Sweet (2018). The Vrhammy Award is an international art prize that was created as an alternative Grammy award for artwork that integrates new immersive media technologies. An international jury, consisting of
Dr Dani Ploeger’s art installation The Grass Smells So Sweet.
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representatives of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, BBC Arts in London and the Hamburg Photo Triennial among others, assessed submissions from all over the world, 16 of which were displayed at the VRHAM Festival for art and VR in Hamburg in June. From these 16 works, The Grass Smells So Sweet was selected for the main prize, which is also connected to an award of 5000 euros. The headshot kill has a prominent place in representations and imaginations of violent death in Hollywood cinema and video games. Seemingly influenced by this, Q&A forums like Quora and Reddit regularly feature questions about the experience of getting shot in the head with a firearm. The answers written by survivors give a diverse range of visceral, yet colourful, accounts of shock, surprise and pain. Many of the answers – the vast majority of which are written by men – suggest a sense of authority and bravery from the side of the narrators, while others (often anonymously) disclose vulnerability and trauma. Characterised by the particular negotiation between public and private performance of online forums, these threads give insights into the ways in which people’s continued occupation with the physical body in relation to violence and (fear of) death is mediated and processed in a digitally networked culture. The Grass Smells So Sweet processes a collection of found Reddit and Quora texts through virtual reality audio and video simulations, aroma dispenser and living grass. The title of the work stems from a Quora respondent’s account of his experience of a mock execution. The work has been realised with support from Central, Sakrowski (curator, panke.gallery Berlin) and Virginie Serneels who assisted in the creation of the 2D video effects.
DR CATHERINE MCNAMARA RECOGNISED WITH A PRIME MINISTER’S POINT OF LIGHT AWARD On 17 May Central’s Dr Catherine McNamara was recognised with a Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award for her work as Co-Founder of Gendered Intelligence, which was established ten years ago to increase understanding of gender diversity and the quality of trans people’s lives, particularly young people. The organisation runs youth groups, projects and workshops to support young trans and gender diverse people, their families and professionals working with them. Dr McNamara co-led the Pfizer-funded INTERarts intergenerational, LGBTQ+ Arts Project which was a collaboration with Opening Doors (AgeUK) and is currently leading the TransActing Project as a collaboration between Central and Gendered Intelligence. In a personal letter to Catherine, Prime Minister Theresa May said: ‘By co-founding and chairing Gendered Intelligence, you are making a real difference to the lives of young transgender people across the UK. You should be enormously proud of your work empowering and supporting the LGBT+ community.’ Dr Catherine McNamara said: ‘To be part of something which highlights volunteering, and the many people who give their time and energy to contribute to community life is fantastic. I work with Gendered Intelligence to support the important work they do to improve the quality of trans, non-binary and gender-diverse people’s experiences in schools, universities, workplace environments and beyond. I feel proud to be able to contribute to this organisation. To be able to work alongside the large volunteer team, including the other board members, is
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important to me. It’s my way of demonstrating my support as an ally and a non-trans person. There is still a great deal of hostility experienced by trans people and I’m grateful to be able to contribute to reduce that, and create a more respectful and inclusive society. The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on 17 May was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organisation’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder, so it was particularly special to be recognised on that day.’
DR SELINA BUSBY AWARDED NATIONAL TEACHING FELLOWSHIP On 30 August, Advance HE announced the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme Awards and Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence winners. There were 54 new National Teaching Fellows named, alongside the 15 winning teams in the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence.
Central has given me, to my colleagues there and within the wider applied theatre community who have generously supported me. I am also deeply indebted to my students for their commitment, passion and tenacity when working with me over the years in some very challenging settings. Without them this would not have been possible.’ Dr Catherine McNamara, Pro-Dean and Director of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience at Central, said: ‘We are very proud of Selina’s achievement with the Fellowship. To be recognised in this way is a much-deserved wider acknowledgement of the strength and scope of Selina’s work in learning and teaching. She really is an excellent teacher and her ever-evolving practice has enormous benefits for the students who come to Central to study Applied Theatre. We are so pleased with her success.’ The NTF and CATE schemes are open to all higher education providers in the UK. There are now more than 860 NTFs. Institutions may nominate up to three individuals per annum. The schemes are open to all staff whose teaching or support roles enhance the student learning experience.
Central is delighted to share that, amongst the recipients, Dr Selina Busby has been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship. The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) celebrates and recognises individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in higher education. Of her award Dr Selina Busby, Principal Lecturer and Course Leader of the MA Applied Theatre course and the PG Cert in Applied Theatre with Young People at Central, said: ‘I was extremely proud to be nominated for a National Teaching Fellowship and overwhelmed to hear that I had been awarded one. It is both a recognition of the work I have done in the field of applied theatre and an amazing opportunity to join a community of teaching professionals from whom I am sure I will learn a great deal. I am hugely grateful for the opportunities that Dr Selina Busby
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AMANDA BRENNAN JUDGES THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
CENTRAL APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION & DEVELOPMENT
In June, Principal Lecturer and Course Leader of Central’s MA Acting for Screen Amanda Brennan was a judge at the ninth annual British International Film Festival at Cineworld in London’s Leicester Square.
In August, the School welcomed Julia Roberts as its new Director of Innovation & Development.
Aiming to promote and support independent filmmaking, the festival provides opportunities for independent filmmakers to have their films screened at red carpet-style venues to a passionate audience of film professionals, film students, journalists and the general public. There were a number of awards at the Festival, including the prestigious British Lion Award for Achievement in Film on a Low Budget.
Julia Roberts has over 10 years’ experience in higher education as Director of Strategic Planning & Change at Royal Holloway, University of London and previously as Deputy Director of Strategic Planning & Change at Durham University. As a member of the Executive Team at Royal Holloway, Julia provided expert advice and evidence to guide strategic decision making. She developed the market analysis and insight function of the planning team and also led a team of project managers working on strategic and transformational projects. Prior to working in higher education, Julia worked in the museum sector. Of her appointment, she said: ‘I am honoured and delighted to be joining such a renowned, world-leading conservatoire that is operating at the intersection with the creative industries. Central has an outstanding reputation, evidenced by its Gold TEF award and its dynamic research culture and REF results. I am very excited to be taking up this new role and I am very much looking forward to meeting staff and students across the Central community.’ Julia will oversee a team with responsibility for leading on communications, development and student recruitment, and for driving innovation and measuring impact.
Amanda Brennan at the British International Film Festival.
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Professor Sally Mackey’s Performing Places Bexley. Photo by Adelina Ong.
PROFESSOR SALLY MACKEY PERFORMING PLACES BEXLEY Together with alumni Suha Al-Khayyat (DE99), Ross Bolwell (DE08), Dr Adelina Ong (PhD 2018), MA and BA DATE students and many others, Professor Sally Mackey has completed Phase 1 of Performing Places Bexley 20172019 (PPB). PPB was awarded nearly £200,000 from a major new grant given to the London Borough of Bexley Council in 2017 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This two-year project is the latest in a sequence of awards (previously from the Arts and Humanities Research Council) supporting Sally’s work investigating how we inhabit and ‘perform’ place.
The project employs a fictional narrative as a metaphorical ‘entry point’ into assuaging tensions in a particular place (Bexleyheath Broadway), as well as working towards increased community cohesion in the borough. A parallel Bexleyheath (‘Par Bexia’) is dissolving and visiting Par Bexians seek help and advice from Bexleyheath residents. To date there have been three linked outputs: a series of 15+ touring performance-based workshops and events in schools and community settings; a week’s afternoon street theatre with Par Bexians and other characters at Bexleyheath Broadway; over 15 different, place-focused, street activities led by 30 facilitators with schoolchildren, mothers and babies and adult passers-by as participants. Phase 2 commences in Autumn 2019.
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ALUMNI NEWS We would like to extend a huge thank you to the many alumni that keep us up-to-date with their career news, highlights of which are included here. Some news is selected to be promoted inside the School on our plasma screens, to inspire the next generation of Centralites, and some is shared with the alumni community on our social media groups. A comprehensive list of news is also uploaded to our ‘Alumni – Latest News’ listings page, which can be found at www.cssd.ac.uk/content/alumni-latest-news. If you have provided the Alumni Office with your email address, you will continue to receive regular snapshots of Central’s news by email each term. For those of you who want to share your breaking news with the entire alumni community, please post onto the Alumni Facebook Group or LinkedIn Site, and also email alumni@cssd.ac.uk so that it can be uploaded to the ‘Alumni – Latest News’. Read more www.cssd.ac.uk/alumni Update us on your career news online www.cssd.ac.uk/update-your-details Join the Alumni Community on Facebook ‘CSSD Alumni News – Official Site’ Join the Alumni Community on LinkedIn ‘Central’s Alumni Office’ Contact the Alumni Office Shaun Northover and Meg Ryan alumni@cssd.ac.uk +44 (0)20 7449 1636 Alumni Office The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Eton Avenue London NW3 3HY, UK
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AWARDS, NOMINATIONS & RECOGNITIONS Congratulations to all alumni who have recently won or been nominated for awards. At the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards, Marvel’s box office smash hit Black Panther won Best Movie. The film included Martin Freeman (Stage 1995) in the role of Everett K. Ross, performance from Danny Sapani (Stage 1992) and Cerris Morgan-Moyer (BA Fine Arts-Theatre 1993) as a Voice Artist. Nominations for the Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland included Sara Stewart (Stage 1988) in the category of Best Actress for her performance as Martha in Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. Long Days Journey Into Night which included lighting design from Ben Ormerod (Tech 1979), was nominated for Best Design. Shows at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe that won awards include: What Girls Are Made Of directed by Orla O’Loughlin (MA Advanced Theatre Practice 2000) at Traverse Theatre, which won a Scotsman Fringe First Awards; Power Play: Funeral Flowers at Pleasance Popup, by Emma Dennis-Edwards (Directing Text 2012), which won The Filipa Braganca Award; and [insert slogan here] produced by YESYESNONO, founded by Rhian Davies (BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Education 2009), which was nominated for the New Diorama Untapped Edinburgh Award 2018. Among nominees for this year’s Hospital Club Awards was Emmy Award-winning actor, musician and activist Riz Ahmed (MA Acting 2006) nominated in the category of Film, and Rachel Parris (MA Acting for Screen 2007), an award-winning musical comedian, actor, improviser and presenter and one of the stars of smash hit satirical BBC2 series The Mash Report was nominated in the category of Broadcast.
At The Latin UK Awards 2018, I Occur Here directed by Mariana Aristizabal (MA Performance Practice as Research 2016) and devised and performed by Daniela Cristo Mantilla (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2018) and Santiago Godoy (MA Acting 2016), won Best Theatrical Production of the Year. The Stage Debut 2018 Award winners include Khadija Raza (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2017), winner of Best Designer for her work on Hijabi Monologues, Spun, and Mixtape at the Bush Theatre, Arcola Theatre and Manchester's Royal Exchange respectively. Also nominated this year was Georgia Christou (BA (Hons) Acting 2008) for Best Writer for Yous Two at Hampstead Theatre. At the Teen’s Choice Awards: Carrie Fisher (Stage 1977) posthumously won Choice Fantasy Movie Actress for her performance in Star Wars: The Last Jedi; Coco which included voice from Gael García Bernal (Stage 2000) won Choice Best Fantasy and he was also nominated for Choice Fantasy Movie Actor; Black Panther, which included performance from Martin Freeman and Danny Sapani, and Voice Artist Cerris Morgan-Moyer, won Choice Best Sci-Fi; and Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments, with performance from Will Tudor (BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre 2011), won Choice Sci-Fi/ Fantasy TV Show. Also nominated was Joseph Morgan (BA (Hons) Acting 2002) for Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor for his performance in The Originals, and both Tomb Raider and Ready Player One, including performance from Hannah John-Kamen (BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre 2011), received nominations. At this year’s Tony Awards, Andrew Garfield (BA (Hons) Acting 2004) won Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for starring as Prior Walter in National Theatre’s Angels In America; Harry Potter And The Cursed Child produced by Sonia Friedman (Tech 1985), including sound design from Gareth Fry (BA (Hons) Theatre Studies 1996) and Pete Malkin (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2012); and video design from Finn Ross (BA (Hons) Theatre
Practice 2003), went on to win seven accolades, including Best Play and Best Sound Design. Finn Ross (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2003) was also nominated alongside Adam Young (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2010) for Best Scenic Design of a Musical for their work providing video design for Sonia Friedman’s production of Mean Girls; Tom Gibbons (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2008) was nominated for Best Sound Design for his work on Duncan Macmillan’s (MA Advanced Theatre Practice 2002) adaptation of 1984. Also, Sonia Friedman’s production, Farinelli And The King was nominated for Best Play, Best Lighting Design of a Play and Best Scenic Design in a Play; and Frozen, directed by Central President and alumnus Michael Grandage (Stage 1984) and Mean Girls produced by Sonia Friedman, were both nominated for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. Peter Carroll (Adv Cert Speech and Drama 1969) was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui at The Sydney Theatre Company. The Helpmann Awards recognise distinguished artistic achievement and excellence across many disciplines of Australia's live performance sector. Sonia Friedman was listed at the top of Time Magazine’s list of 100 influential people of 2018 in the Titans category. Ryan Hawley (BA (Hons) Acting 2007) was nominated for a British Soap Award for Best Actor for his performance as Robert Sugden in Emmerdale. Jack Knowles (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2008) won the ABD Award for Plays at this year's Knights of Illumination Awards ceremony for his work providing lighting design for The National Theatre's Barber Shop Chronicles. Abi Morgan’s (Advanced Diploma Creative Theatre 1993) contributions as a playwright and screenwriter were recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List in which she was awarded an OBE. Abi has written for television, film and theatre and her work includes feature
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films Suffragette and The Iron Lady, and most recently she wrote the new BBC drama The Split. Vanessa Redgrave (Stage 1957) was the recipient of the Golden Lion career prize at the Venice Film Festival. Judi Dench (Stage 1957) received a Donostia Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival ahead of their screening of Red Joan, which she stars in, and she will also be presented with the Golden Icon Honourary Award at Zurich Film Festival. JAMS, a London-based group of international artists including Sophie Grodin (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2013) and Jemima Yong (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2011) produced the play Marathon, which won the 2018 Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust. You can read about other alumni awards and nominations at www.cssd.ac.uk/alumnilatest-news.
IN THE COMMUNITY Central’s alumni produce an exceptional standard of work across a multitude of disciplines in the arts, theatre and education sectors, and beyond. The following provides a snapshot of some of their work-to-date. Charlotte Bence (MPhil/PhD 2017 & MA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media 2011) has recently left Unite, having been involved in overseeing workers in the hospitality sector, to return to Equity in the role of Low Pay/No Pay Organiser, leading their Professionally Made, Professionally Paid Campaign, having formerly been their Student Scheme Supporter. Georgia Christou (BA (Hons) Acting 2008) has been selected to take part in Paines Plough and Fiery Angel’s inaugural writing programme, which enables emerging writers to create work
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for larger stages and audiences, including backing from Laura Wade and Simon Stephens. Her play How To Spot An Alien was produced by Paines Plough as a Theatr Clwyd production as part of the Roundabout season, which also included work from Vinay Patel (MA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media 2011). Mark De-Lisser (MA Voice Studies 2003) arranged the song Stand By Me for the Royal Wedding earlier this year, and also sang in the choir. In addition, he was Lead Vocal Coach for this year’s UK Eurovision act, SuRie. Niamh de Valera (MA Theatre Studies 2009) is Executive and Co-Artistic Director of Blue Elephant Theatre, which was one of only five theatre organisations in London to become an ACE NPO in April. Eve Garrett (MA Applied Theatre 2015) has recently joined The National Autistic Society as a Performing Arts Teacher. This follows previous roles she has undertaken for Ambitious About Autism, a specialist FE college offering support for young adults with complex autism in their transition to adulthood, where she had been a lecturer and learning and behaviour specialist. Mike-Lee Gentle (BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Education 2010) is now Facilitatorin-Residence at Bigfoot Arts Education and a Video Editor for Fingrove Media. Rebecca Glaisher (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2010) was appointed Senior Lighting Technician at the Young Vic in February. Anna Hermann (MA Arts Education 1998) has recently been appointed as Co-Artistic Director of Clean Break. She has been working in the field of theatre and social change for over 27 years, specialising in theatre and education with marginalised groups in the UK and abroad. She joined Clean Break in 2002 as their Head of Education, leading the company’s awardwinning work with women in the criminal justice system and women at risk of entering it. Will Hudson (MA Applied Theatre 2016) is Founder and Artistic Director of Society Unlimited, a social enterprise created to
Shakespeare Sin Fronteras Intercultural Acting Residency for Society Unlimited ©Mihàlis Intzièyanni.
improve communication and foster creative potential in local communities and the arts sector. He is also currently Youth Theatre Director at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, delivering acting training to both youth and community groups in East London. He recently collaborated on the National Theatre’s Public Acts production of Pericles. Until July 2018 he was also Associate Facilitator for Outside Edge Theatre Company, working with participants who have experience of substance misuse and run the company's outreach work in treatment centres and schools across London. Until recently, Will led the Kiln Theatre’s Minding The Gap programme, directing theatre projects for young people recently arrived to the UK. Jasmine Hylton (BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Education 2015) is now a Teacher of English, Drama & PSHE at The Wren Academy in London. Kate-Lois Elliott (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2013) is Education Practitioner for Shakespeare’s Globe and Producer for Backbone Theatre.
Nick Manning (Tech 1994) has recently left the Lyric Hammersmith, where he has been Head of Sound for 19 years, for the role of Head of Sound and Video at The Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre. Ruth Milne (BA (Hons) Acting 2010) is a theatre practitioner for Geese Theatre Company, who present interactive theatre and facilitate dramabased group work in prisons, young offender institutions, youth offending teams, secure hospitals and related agencies throughout the UK and abroad. She is responsible for cofacilitating theatre workshops examining issues including violence and substance misuse and working with prisoners and other marginalised groups to devise and perform theatre. She is also a facilitator for Open Door, a new initiative working to increase the accessibility of drama schools, as well as Co-Artistic Director and Producer of Etch Theatre Company. Orla O’Loughlin (MA Advanced Theatre Practice 2000) will step down from her role as Joint Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Traverse Theatre this autumn to take up the role of Vice Principal and Director of Drama at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
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Rachel Vogler at TEDX. Photo by Mitchell Eric Cohen, courtesy of Rachel Vogler.
Andrija Repec (MA Advanced Theatre Practice 2017) joins the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna as Assistant Director, and was accepted on the Young Vic Theatre’s Directors Programme. Samuele Russo (MA Drama and Movement Therapy (Sesame) 2017) offers creative psychotherapy in his private practice in East London. He also works for a range of organisations including Core Asset’s Children Services, supporting young people build resilience from their experiences of domestic violence and abuse, and an organisation called Steps2Recovery, helping ex-offenders in recovery from drug and drink-related offending behaviours. Eamonn B. Shanahan (MA Creative Producing 2015) is Producer and Artistic Director of Poppin Productions, which aims to establish a greater professional voice in the Irish arts market by engaging and developing new audiences, creating new experiences and educational platforms, and establishing exciting new artistic styles within the arts industry. Jackie Simmons (MA Actor Training and Coaching 2006) is currently a freelance acting
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tutor, teaching on both the Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting and Drama course at the Queensland Institute of Technology and for the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Australia. Adam Stadius (MA Music Theatre 2011) has been appointed Programme Leader for Musical Theatre at Leeds College of Music, a new course which he launched this September in partnership with Leeds Playhouse. Rachel Vogler and Kim Turford (both BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Education (Writing for Performance) 2018) have cofounded Houselights, an organisation working with drama schools and youth theatres to deliver workshops better equipping graduating theatre professionals with knowledge of the policies and processes around sexual harassment, and reporting it. Rachel and Kim have already met with around 20 theatre organisations to develop their programme to ensure they are able to reach the widest range of future industry professionals, and that it can be tailored for the requirements of different institutions. Houselights inaugural forum event will take place on 23 October at the Arcola Theatre. The event is free of charge
and open to all, and will feature guest speakers and discussions from industry professionals. For tickets see www.arcolatheatre.com/event/ houselights-open-forum. Rhiannon Wilkins (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2010) is the Arts Stages Coordinator for the Latitude Festival and works with Festival Republic to oversee the Alternative Stage at Reading Festival. She also supports SPILL Festival, an international arts festival, as their Open Project Manager on The SPILL Open, a scheme for emerging or overlooked artists. Zowie Wise (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2017) was Head of Scenic Art to a team of 15 for Scruffy Dog’s installation of new Thorpe Park ride The Walking Dead, employing Jonny Brown and Rosie Hirst (both BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2016), and providing work experience for Central students Alice Olley and Ellen Forbes. Matt Whale (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2018) is now a lighting technician for the Royal Court Theatre and Sadler’s Wells, and is also a lighting and sound technician for Les Enfants Terribles Theatre Company.
EVENTS We look back at the selection of events we have been able to host for alumni over the past few months. CENTRAL PARTY IN NEW YORK We were delighted to be able to catch up with our many alumni living and working in New York and the surrounding areas at our annual Central Party in New York on 21 May, which took place at The Coffee House Club. We were also able to welcome those living in New York that were holding offers to join us in this new academic year, and we would like to thank our alumni for sharing their experiences of Central with them.
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF Acting COLLABORATIVE and DEVISED THEATRE We were so pleased to join alumni, students and staff in celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Central’s Acting CDT course, at an event hosted by Catherine Alexander on 2 July at Central. Thank you to all involved in helping putting this event together.
Central Party in New York. Photo by Francine Daveta.
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CENTRAL PARTY IN EDINBURGH Our annual Central Party at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was another highlight of our year, and it was wonderful to see so many alumni, students and staff join us on 15 August at The Scottish Arts Club to celebrate the many alumni and student shows at The Fringe, which this year exceeded over 100 shows! Special thanks to alumna and Artistic Director of the Traverse Theatre, Orla O’Loughlin, for her speech. We also had the opportunity to catch a number of alumni and student shows at the Fringe, and film an alumni interview series, and thanks goes out to all those that took part.
UPCOMING EVENTS CLASS OF 1993 REUNION We look forward to welcoming the class of 1993 back to Central on Saturday 27 October from 2.00pm for a 25-year reunion. If you were in this class and would like to attend, please RSVP by emailing alumni@cssd.ac.uk.
AD HOC REUNIONS We are always delighted when alumni contact us about organising a reunion for their class. If you would like our support in organising your own alumni reunion at Central, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@cssd.ac.uk.
STAGE, SCREEN & RADIO Central graduates continue to make their mark in theatre, television, radio and film in the UK, and beyond. Below are some recent highlights in addition to those listed in our Alumni Awards and Nominations section. Naomi Ackie (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2012) will join the cast of the next Star Wars film Star Wars Episode IX. Nathalie Armin (Stage 1992), Demetri Goritsas (Stage 1993) and John Mackay (Stage 1986) performed in Almeida Theatre’s production Machinal, which ran from 4 June to 21 July, and included lighting design from Jack Knowles (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2008). Elliot Barnes-Worrell (BA (Hons) Acting 2012) will play Captain Derrick in Universal Pictures’ film The Voyage Of Doctor Dolittle, starring alongside Robert Downey Jr., Emma Thompson and Rami Malek, which will be released next year. He also appeared in recently released blockbuster Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Hannah John-Kamen (BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre 2012). Polly Bennett (MA Movement Studies 2011) provides movement direction for National Theatre’s production of The Lehman Trilogy, which opened on 4 June and will run through until 20 October before transferring to New York next year. Emily Bevan (MA Acting 2006) performed in an adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel The Lovely Bones, which included set design from Ana Ines Jabares-Pita (MA Scenography 2012), and ran at the Theatre Royal, Royal and Derngate in Northampton, from 5 to 22 September. Claudie Blakley and Heather Craney (both Stage 1995) performed in Consent at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 18 May to 11 August and was produced by Sonia Friedman (Tech 1985).
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Orlando Bloom in Killer Joe at Trafalgar Studios produced by alumna Emily Dobbs. Photo by Marc Brenner, courtesy of Emily Dobbs Productions.
Sam Ducane (MA Acting 2015) plays Lieutenant Colonel Howfield in Ian Hislop’s play, The Wipers Times, which includes voice coaching from Mary Howland (MA Voice Studies 2001) and opened at Nottingham Theatre Royal, running from 28 August to 1 September, before going on a UK Tour which will run until December. At the Old Vic Karl Queensborough (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2015) performed in Sylvia from 17 to 22 September, and Selina Cadell (Stage 1975) performed in A Monster Calls At Night, which ran from 7 July to 25 August. Emmanuella Cole (BA (Hons) Acting 2005) performed in An Octoroon at the National Theatre for which Steven Kavuma (BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Education 2018)
was Staff Director, Rebecca Cuthbertson (MA Voice Studies 2004) provided company voice work and Mary Howland (MA Voice Studies 2001) was Dialect Coach. Emily Dobbs’ (BA (Hons) Acting 2005) company, Emily Dobbs Productions, recently staged Killer Joe, starring Orlando Bloom, which ran at Trafalgar Studios from 18 May to 18 August. Kathryn Drysdale (BA (Hons) Acting 1999), Barnaby Kay (Stage 1992), and Sian Thomas (Stage 1974) all performed in National Theatre’s Home I’m Darling, which included sound design from Tom Gibbons (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2008) and lighting design from Lucy Carter (Tech 1993), and ran from 24 July to 5 September.
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Left: Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde in The Happy Prince, photo © Wilhelm Moser 2018, courtesy of Maze-Pictures. Right: Dino Fetscher as Stanley in Humans, photo © Kudos, courtesy of Wild Mercury Productions.
Lindsay Duncan (Stage 1974) plays Ysabeau de Clermont in Sky’s new fantasy drama, A Discovery Of Witches.
Dino Fetscher (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2013) has joined the cast of hit series Humans, broadcast on Channel 4, in which he plays the synth, Stanley.
Peter Ellis (Stage 1959), Henry Proffit (BA (Hons) Acting 2011) and Thomas Weir (BA (Hons) Acting 2016) performed in For King And Country, which ran at Southwark Playhouse from 28 June to 21 July and included Ben Krebs (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2018) as Production Manager.
Matthew Forbes (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2008) will direct Treasure Island, adapted by Sandi Toksvig, which will run at Leicester’s Haymarket Theatre from 13 December to 6 January.
Rosie Elnile (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2014) provided set design, Ziggy Jacobs (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2011) provided lighting design and Richard Delight (PG Cert Learning and Teaching 2003) was Production Manager for The Three Sisters, which ran at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre from 3 to 19 May. Rupert Everett (Stage) wrote, directed and starred in The Happy Prince, charting the untold story of the last days of Oscar Wilde, which also included performance from Tom Colley (MA Acting for Screen 2010) in the role of Maurice Gilbert and appearance from Julian Wadham (Stage 1980).
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Martin Freeman (Stage 1995) and Tracy-Ann Oberman (Stage 1991) both perform in Jamie Lloyd Company’s extraordinary season of Harold Pinter’s (Stage 1951) one-act plays to mark the tenth anniversary of the Nobel Prize winner’s death. This will be the first time they have all performed together and the season will run at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 6 September to 20 October. In addition, Tracy-Ann also joins Finty Williams (BA (Hons) Acting 1994) in Menier Chocolate Factory’s Pack Of Lies, which runs from 20 September to 17 November. Ben Hardy (BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre 2012) plays Roger Taylor in 20th Century Fox’s film Bohemian Rhapsody about seminal British rock band Queen, chronicling the years
Olivia Vinall and Keziah Joseph in As You Like It, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, photo by Jane Hobson, courtesy of Jo Allen.
leading up to their legendary appearance at the Live Aid concert. Ben also starred as Walter Hartwright in BBC One’s adaptation of Wilkie Collins' classic gothic novel, The Woman In White, earlier this year. Mark Hawkins (BA (Hons) Acting 2007) has recently joined the cast of West End’s The Woman In Black at The Fortune Theatre, playing ‘The Actor’. During this year’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s season Julian Hoult (BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre 2011) performed in their production of The Little Shop Of Horrors, running from 3 August to 22 September; Toby Olié (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2006) was Puppetry Consultant for their production, Dinosaur World Live, running from 14 August to 9 September; and Keziah Joseph (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2016) performed as Celia in their production As You Like It from 6 to 28 July.
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Left: Wanderlust written by alumnus Nick Payne. Image courtesy of Drama Republic. Right: Cherrelle Skeete in Fun Home. Photo by Marc Brenner, courtesy of Young Vic.
Dan Krikler (MA Acting 2016) performed in Homos, Or Everyone In America, which also included movement direction from Chi-San Howard (MA Movement Studies 2016), and ran at The Finborough Theatre from 7 August to 1 September. Elana Martin (BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre 2009) has joined the cast of the UK tour of Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s Miss Saigon, playing the role of Ellen. Eleanor Matsuura (BA (Hons) Acting 2004) has joined the cast of hit US TV show The Walking Dead playing the role of Yumiko. Now in its ninth season, the show continues to star Tom Payne (BA (Hons) Acting 2005) in the role of Paul ‘Jesus’ Rovia. Niamh McGowan (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2012) performed in the National Theatre’s Translations, for which Anna Morrissey (MA
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Movement Studies 2005) provided movement and Charmian Hoare (Adv Dip Voice Studies 1983) and Jeannette Nelson (Adv Dip Voice Studies 1988) provided company voice work. Siobhan McSweeney (BA (Hons) Acting 2004), who recently played Sister Michael in Channel 4’s Derry Girls, starred in Royal Court’s Pity, which included lighting design from Anna Watson (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2000) and sound design from Pete Malkin (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2012), and ran from 12 July to 11 August. Nessah Muthy (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2010) wrote Sex With Robots And Other Devices, which starred Deshaye Gayle (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2017) and included lighting design from Tanya Stephenson (MA Advanced Theatre Practice 2013), which ran at the King’s Head Theatre from 15 May to 2 June. Deshaye also
Vinay Patel (MA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media 2012) wrote An Adventure, which includes performance from Martins Imhangbe (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2013), running at Bush Theatre from 12 September to 20 October. Paines Plough and Theatre Clwyd also took Vinay’s play Sticks And Stones to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year as part of their Roundabout season. Nick Payne (MA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media 2007) wrote new six-part drama Wanderlust, which stars Toni Collette and Steve Mackintosh, airing on the BBC and Netflix. Cherrelle Skeete (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2011) performed in The Young Vic’s Fun Home from 18 June to 1 September, Hampstead Theatre’s The Phlebotomist earlier this year and played Shelley Brookes in two episodes of Silent Witness.
performs in Manchester HOME’s Future Bodies from 28 September to 13 October. Jonathan O’Boyle (BA (Hons) Acting 2004) directs Rain Man, starring Matthew Horne and Ed Speleers, which began its UK tour in August and will run through to November. Other productions he has directed this year include Pippin at Southwark Playhouse and Rasheeda Speaking at Trafalgar Studios 2. He will next direct Trafalgar Studios upcoming production A Guide For The Homesick starring Clifford Samuel and Douglas Booth. Terry O’Donovan and Daphna Attias (both MA Advanced Theatre Practice 2004), Co-Founders and Artistic Directors of theatre company Dante or Die produced User Not Found, a new play exploring what happens to our digital identities when we die, which ran at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has been performed in various locations across the UK.
Zoe Spurr (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2012) provided lighting design for: Mike Bartlett’s Not Talking, which ran at Arcola Theatre from 25 April to 2 June, and included performance from David Horovitch (Stage 1966); Grotty at Bunker Theatre, which ran from 1 to 26 May and included performance from Rebekah Hinds (BA (Hons) Acting 2010); and Confidence, produced by Boundless Theatre, for which Rob Drummer (MA Advanced Theatre Practice 2010) is Artistic Director and included performance from Anna Crichlow (BA (Hons) Acting 2016). Jessica Swale (MA Advanced Theatre Practice 2006) wrote and directed satirical short film Comedy Short: Leading Lady Parts for the BBC. This included a host of well-known figures from the film and television industry, including Catherine Tate (Stage 1993), and highlights the mistreatment and objectification of women in the film industry. Jessica has recently adapted Jane Austen’s novella Sense And Sensibility, which runs at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick until 26 October and has written the screenplay for a new feature drama Summerland, which will star Gemma Arterton.
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Milly Thomas in Dust, photo by Richard Southgate, courtesy of REM Productions.
Roberta Taylor (Stage 1976) played Dusty Springfield’s mother in Dusty: The Musical at The Lowry theatre in Salford from 25 to 28 July and will soon go on a UK tour.
There are many, many more examples of alumni achievements which you can read about on our ‘Alumni – Latest News’ listings page at www.cssd.ac.uk /alumni-latest-news.
Milly Thomas (BA (Hons) Acting 2014) wrote and performs in the play Dust, which last year won The Stage’s Edinburgh Award, and has now transferred to the Trafalgar Studios, running from 4 September to 13 October.
To tell us about alumni work that you are involved in, please email the Alumni Office at alumni@cssd.ac.uk or visit www.cssd. ac.uk/update-your-details to complete our online form.
Pao-Chang Tsai (MA Music Theatre 2009) was part of San Francisco International Arts Festival 2018, presenting a solo performance of Solo Date from 31 May to 2 June.
Please also remember to share your news with the rest of the Central Alumni Community on the alumni Facebook Group ‘CSSD Alumni News – Official Site’, or the alumni LinkedIn Group ‘Central’s Alumni Office’.
Angus Wright (Stage 1990) performed in Donmar Warehouse’s The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, which included set design from Lizzie Clachan (MA Advanced Theatre Practice 2009), and ran from 4 June to 28 July.
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SUPPORTING CENTRAL INTRODUCTION Central is a charitable institution. We receive funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, as well as private donations from individuals, corporations, and trusts and foundations. These different forms of support enable the School to build and grow in line with the needs of our students, the industry, and academic research. Significantly, Central is open to all potential students regardless of their background and is committed to providing access to over £400,000 of scholarships and bursaries per year. We seek to retain those who struggle financially and to enable all students to reach their full potential, making financial aid a key area of development. We are grateful to all of our donors and welcome new supporters who help Central achieve its mission to develop practitioners and researchers who shape the future of theatre and performance across the UK and beyond.
BUILDING THE FUTURE: CENTRAL’S NEW NORTH BLOCK DEVELOPMENT Central’s continued success has led to a pressing need for the creation of additional space for teaching on its existing campus at Swiss Cottage. The North Block will be a new building on campus that will provide a major increase in rehearsal and performance space for students, as well as creating a new asset for the local community. The new building is scheduled to open at the beginning of 2019, and we are currently in the process of raising the final £100,000 of this £16.7m project, with several opportunities available for potential supporters. To find out more about the new building and about how you can help build Central’s future, please contact Jo Cottrell on +44 (0)20 7559 3975 / email jo.cottrell@cssd.ac.uk.
BECOME A CORPORATE SUPPORTER As a community of innovative individuals with a passion for theatre and performing arts, Central has the creativity to bring tangible benefits to corporate partners. By supporting Central your organisation can make a direct and major impact on the lives of our students and the quality of their specialist training. You will be partnering with a world-renowned brand with a 100+ year legacy of excellence in the performing arts, and at the same time investing in the training and learning opportunities for many of our students. If you want to join our community and become involved as a corporate supporter, please contact Meg Ryan on +44 (0)20 7449 1636 / email meg.ryan@ cssd.ac.uk.
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PIVOT CLUB ‘If you are passionate about theatre, be passionate about its future.’ Michael Grandage CBE, President, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Central is indebted to the increasing number of individuals who have chosen to support the talent of the future by joining the Pivot Club, our membership scheme whose original membership included Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Peggy Ashcroft. There are three levels of membership, with all gifts making a direct impact on Central’s ability to support students, professional practitioners and researchers alike. All funds raised help to shape the future of theatre and performance in the UK and abroad. Pivot Club membership levels are: > Pivot Friend £75 per annum (£6 per month on Direct Debit) > Pivot Circle £300 per annum (£24 per month on Direct Debit) > Pivot Stalls £1200 per annum (£95 per month on Direct Debit). To find out more please contact Meg Ryan, +44 (0)20 7449 1636 / meg.ryan@cssd.ac.uk, or see www.cssd.ac.uk/ support-us.
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LEGACY AND IN MEMORY GIVING Central is overwhelmed by the number of individuals who have either chosen to leave a gift in their Will, or who have made a gift in memory of a loved one. Leaving a gift in your Will may help fund scholarships, act as investment in long-term capital projects, or simply provide much-needed funds to enhance the School’s charitable objectives. Legacies and bequests are exempt from inheritance tax, meaning that as a registered charity any gift bequeathed to Central will be tax deductible. In Memory gifts can be used to support Central more generally, or can be specifically directed towards a cause in tribute to the particular interests of the deceased. For further information about Legacy and In Memory Giving, please contact Meg Ryan, +44 (0)20 7449 1636 / meg.ryan@cssd.ac.uk.
SUPPORTER EVENING EVENTS Central’s current supporters, and those interested in finding out about its fundraising activities, are invited to join us for the Principal’s Autumn Reception to see Terence Rattigan's Flare Path on Thursday 22 November at 6.15pm. If you would like to attend or find out more information, please contact Meg Ryan, +44 (0)20 7449 1636 / meg.ryan@cssd.ac.uk.
For supporters of the Fulbright Scholarship Fund, the Principal is hosting in New York a Celebration of Central Alumni on Screen with a private screening of the new Netflix series Maniac, featuring Central alumnus Geoffrey Cantor, on Monday 5 November from 6.00pm. If you would like to attend or find out more information about supporting in the US, please contact Sophie Hussey, +44 (0)20 7559 3975 / sophie.hussey@cssd.ac.uk.
OUR SUPPORTERS Central is grateful to all its supporters. We would particularly like to thank the following individuals, foundations and companies who have recently made donations of £1000 or more to support our work: > The Estate of Margaretta Bundy
> Monty James
> The Foyle Foundation
> The Estate of Dulcie Denison
> Chris and Birthe King
> Gareth Neame Foundation
> The Estate of Dr Walter Ross
> Julian Markson
> Garfield Weston Foundation
> The Estate of Nellie Watson
> Frances McCain
> Hays Travel Foundation
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> Anne Mensah
> HSM Charitable Trust
> Gary Bond Memorial Award
> Mrs Milner
> The John Thaw Foundation
> The Clive Brook Prize
> Nicholas Murphy
> The Leverhulme Trust
> The Jane Cowell Memorial Fund
> John Peach
> The Walter Douglas Johnstone Memorial Fund
> Charles Perrin CBE
> The Neaveth Fund (University of London)
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> Christian Poltera
> Chimera Recruitment
> Roger Reed
> ETC
> Clare Rich
> The Hall School
> Sir Tony Robinson KBE
> Sky
> Donna and Ben Rosen
> TAIT
> Alex Shinder
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> Patricia Storace
> Wendy Allnutt
> Paul Taiano OBE
> Stewart Annand
> John Willis
> Kitty Corrigan
> The late Julia Wilson-Dickson
> Wendy Craig
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> Pippa Dale
> The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation
> Victoria Dickie > John Drummond > Michael Estorick > Clare Fox > Andrew Galloway > Brian Goodban > Ros and Alan Haigh > Dame Pippa Harris DBE > Gavin Henderson CBE
> Richard Pilbrow
> The Andy Stewart Charitable Trust > The Atkin Charitable Foundation > The Beatrice Lillie International College of Comedy and Musical Theatre > The Behrens Foundation
> Sophie Hughes
> The British Schools and Universities Foundation
> Michael Irving
> The Coln Trust
> The Roger and Ingrid Pilkington Charitable Trust > The Savile Club > Sesame Institute > Shoresh Charitable Trust > Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement > Sophie’s Silver Lining Fund > The Stanley Picker Trust > The Sylvia Waddilove Foundation UK > Winship Foundation > The Wolfson Foundation > University of London Trusts A complete list of our supporters can be found on Central’s website www.cssd.ac.uk. We also thank all those supporters who choose to remain anonymous, and those individuals who generously give their time and expertise to support our students throughout their training and beyond.
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